


Proud Of Your Boy

by AGL03



Category: Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (TV)
Genre: F/M, Feels, Team is family, Tumblr Prompt, coulson is a father figure
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-08
Updated: 2018-06-08
Packaged: 2019-05-19 14:37:17
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,189
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14875640
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AGL03/pseuds/AGL03
Summary: Prompt:  could u write a Coulson & Fitz fic focusing on their father/son bond as really love their characters and missing them too much already.  Or 6 Takes of Fitz and Coulson's relationship.





	Proud Of Your Boy

"He’s alive.”

That is what Jemma had said when Skye had asked about Fitz. But Coulson knew there was more just by the look on her face. Victory had come with a high price. 

Fury had given him some of the story. How he’d followed the old Shield emergency transmission and found his young agents floating in the middle of the ocean. How Fitz had left the old Howling Commanders tracker on the floor of the Bus and allowed Fury to catch up to them at Cybertek in time. 

Now he made his way to the infirmary in the unfamilar base. May and Skye took Jemma to get her food and cleaned up before she resumed her vigil at Fitz’s side. Trip with Koenig to get his lanyard and the early rundown of the Playground. Jemma only agreeing to allow herself to be taken if Coulson promised to sit with him. She didn't want Fitz to be alone. 

He felt his heart stop at the door as he caught sight of the young Scot so very pale against the sheets and countless tubes and wires keeping him alive as his body continued to heal. 

Coulson settled into the chair that Jemma had clearly been using. It was as close to the bed as one could possibly manage, Fitz's hand slightly turned where she had been holding it, medical journals, books, and notes on Hypoxia all over the end table and floor. 

He sat in silence for a few moments before he started to speak, Jemma said it would help. 

“You did it, Fitz,” Coulson began unsure what he was going to say. “You made Garrett pay just like you promised. The tracker you left on the Bus led Fury right to us. And not only did you save Jemma but you saved me, Fury got there just in time. You’ll also be pleased to know your Mouse Hole never made it to production because Fury kept it for himself, he used it to escape his own assassination attempt.” 

There was no response from Fitz, not even a twitch of his fingers.

“I am so proud of you Fitz,” Coulson said gently smoothing his hair back from his forehead as his father had done for him when he was young and ill. “And I promise to do whatever it takes to make sure you get better.”

\--------------------------------------------------------

As soon as they’d laid in the course Coulson sent Ward and Kara to the cockpit and Fitz to the back of the jet as far away from the pair as he could physically get him until they landed. Hunter taking up sentry in the middle with his gun resting on his lap.

Coulson knew Ward was dangerous and knew how Fitz felt, the engineer facing his worst nightmare in order to save Skye. Coulson had assured Fitz he’d be safe and Ward wouldn’t pull anything. Yet only hours in he’d ended up with a knife to his throat. It took every ounce of self control he had not to throw Ward out of the Quin Jet or over to Hydra right then and there. 

Fiz collapsed into his seat with his hands shaking he rested against his knees taking shuddering breaths. 

“I’m so sorry Fitz,” Coulson started and FItz just held up his still shaking hand to quiet him. 

“I know,” Fitz said “I just need a minute.”

Coulson sat down next to him. Placing a comforting hand on his shouler and making himself another barrier behind Fitz and Ward for as long as Fitz needed him to be. 

\--------------------------------------------------------

Coulson sat in the medical bay of the Zephyr allowing Bobbi to clean and dress the wounds he had received on Maveth. Shortly after the reunions he and Fitz had been ordered into the showers to clean up before their injuries could be properly addressed. Fitz sat across from him now clad in the same pajamas he was allowing Jemma to meticulously clean the cut on his head. 

Coulson had felt an enormous wave of guilt hit in as the dust had settled and the pair debriefed on what had happened. Coulson had been so caught up in getting to Ward he hadn’t realized just how much danger Fitzsimmons had been in. That they had been physically and emotionally tortured until they gave in to Malick’s demands. That thanks to Ward they knew exactly how to deal the most damage. 

Bobbi and Jemma finished at the same time and Jemma winced, the action not missed by either Fitz or Bobbi. 

“Fitz has been taken care of,” Bobbi said in a tone that left no room for argument “It’s your turn now. Let's get you showered and those wounds dressed.” 

Coulson could see the looks on both their faces, it was the same look they had when Fitz had been sent to be cleaned up. That desperation to stay close to one another. 

But it had to be done.

“That’s an order Agent Simmons,” Coulson added gently. 

Jemma finally complied following Bobbi out the door and leaving Coulson alone with Fitz. 

Fitz looked down and rubbed his hands together, a move now familiar to Coulson since the pod. “I”m sorry Sir,” he finally said after a few moments of silence. “I know we’re not supposed to give into demands but I couldn’t let them hurt her anymore. I take full responsibility for-”

“Fitz,” Coulson interrupted seeing him wince. 

“You are not in trouble,” Coulson added quickly as he moved to sit next to him on the other bed. “If anything I should apologize to you.”

Fitz finally looked up in surprise. 

“I let Ward get into my head and baited me into giving him exactly what he wanted. You and Simmons.” Coulson said. “And getting you two back should have been our top priority.”

“Ward knew what buttons to push on all of us. But you saved my life,” Fitz said quietly. “From Will, had you not been there he would have killed me and he and Ward would have made it through the portal.”

“I’m proud of you Fitz,” Coulson said and finally earned a smile from the engineer. He’d moved to give him a hug but remembered with a start that he’d left his hand back on Maveth. 

“You know Sir if you wanted an upgrade you could have just asked for one,” Fitz joked nodding at the missing device. 

“Well now that you mention it, I was wondering if the Director of Shield could have a Shield of his own...”

\---------------------------------------------------------

Coulson was alone in his bunk when he watched the footage in hopes of finding a clue as to where to start looking for Radcliffe and May. He had heard how they discovered Radcliffe was an LMD, in the confrontation with Fitz and had decided to start there and then watch what had transpired in the lab after. Every bit of footage made his heart even heavier. 

“You were like a son to me.”

“Isn’t that what he used to tell you? Not good enough, smart enough.”

“I knew your father.”

Coulson had to turn it off, the pain had been coming off of Fitz in waves and he had known Fitz long enough to know those wounds ran deep. 

Coulson would be lying if he said he hadn’t had reservations about Radcliffe, even more as he grew closer and closer to Fitz in the months following Hive’s defeat. 

But he had seemed to genuinely care for and appreciate Fitz. Praised his work. And Fitz had opened up to him, trusted him, only to be betrayed once more. 

Coulson quickly pulled up the bases cameras, with Jemma in a meeting with Mace Fitz was likely to be alone and Coulson needed to check in with him. Jemma would, of course, take care of him but he could step in until Mace was done. He found him in the first place he pulled up, the server room, a place Fitz tended to go if he didn’t feel safe in the lab. 

He entered the room to find Fitz aimlessly working on one of the banks and Coulson was careful to break the silence.

“Been a Hell of a day hasn’t it?” he said.

Fitz's head shot up, eyes slightly puffy from long shed tears. 

“Coulson, I’m so sorry,” Fitz started in a rush. “May, Radcliffe, AIDA its all my fault. I should have never trusted him I thought he cared about-”

Coulson cut him off and simply pulled him into a hug. Fitz froze for a moment before he sagged into the older man’s embrace, the sobs beginning anew. 

“I thought he cared about me.” 

Coulson couldn’t offer much, merely holding him. “He didn’t deserve you.”

\---------------------------------------------------------

Ever since Fitz had walked through the door of the processing center Coulson had wanted at least five minutes to talk with him and see how he had gone and done the impossible again. 

The last few hours giving him scraps of the story.

The opportunity presented itself as Jemma, May, and Daisy carefully tended to Robin’s body while Coulson, Deke, and Fitz secured the True Believers. Deke leaving with Enoch to gather supplies once that was done. 

“The long way?” Coulson asked when they were alone.

Fitz offered a sheepish smile and ran his hand over the back of his neck. “I used a cryo chamber to sleep for 74 years. Enoch woke me up in time to get Jemma, Daisy, and May from Kasius. Though fair warning, Hunter and I might have made a bit of a mess with the Air Force that we’ll have to deal with when we get back.”

Hunter and Fitz alone together was indeed a dangerous combination.

“I drove her batty for months because I wouldn’t give you up, not that I knew where you were. Then Hunter broke me out of a secret high-security facility and then we broke back into it and stole the Zephyr, the cryo chamber, and everything she’d taken from Shield.” 

Coulson chuckled and clapped him on the shoulder. “Did you blow some stuff up on our way out?”

“Helicopter, released wild ferrets onto the base, and straight through the roof of their hanger.”

“I’m proud of you!” Coulson beamed. “Now, how are we going to get home.”

\---------------------------------------------------------

They had been back on earth for a matter of hours as Fitz continued to adjust to everything he had missed while frozen. The team eager to soak up the sun outside the Lighthouse after so long in Space. 

Fitz was still adjusting. The fact he had died, that they had been in and broken a time loop, that he was married the band cool against his finger felt odd yet so right, that he had a Grandson, and that Coulson was gone. Died while he was sleeping. 

Jemma tugged him away from the group, her hand tightly interlaced with his, guiding him down a small path away from the Lighthouse. She had rarely left his side since they’d found him, whispering “I’m never leaving our side again,” into his ear as he woke. 

He followed easily until they came to a small grove of trees that overlooked the water where a large oak tree sat with a new plaque under it. The benediction matching the one in the cockpit of the Zephyr in memory of Coulson. 

“I wish I’d been able to say goodbye,” Fitz said sadly as he knelt down and ran his fingers over the words.

“He said the same thing,” Jemma said curing into his side. 

“The last one on one conversation I had with him was right out of the Framework, he told me I wasn’t a bad person.”

Jemma hugged Fitz even tighter, “Coulson was a wise man and I completely agree with him,” she said. “I remember he walked you down the aisle at our wedding Fitz. He married us. He was so proud Fitz.”

Someone cleared their throat behind them and they turned to see Deke shifting nervously, afraid to intrude on the moment. Deke had been with the team when they found Fitz, the map he’d stolen from Qvos’s ship vital in finding him. And to Jemma’s delight and Deke’s surprise, Grandfather and Grandson had hit it off the second time around. Jemma knew her hands were going to be full with the pair once Fitz got settled.

“He really was proud...and happy,” Deke said shoving his hands into his pockets and joining them.

“I rode down in the elevator with them. You were nervous and excited all at the same time and kept babbling about Mike. Once the elevator stopped, they waited a few moments. Coulson buttoned your jacket and you just had the nicest moment as Coulson said ‘It’s gonna be great,’” Deke said with a smile. “Then the doors opened and you walked out, but not before I heard a small gasp from you and the look of pride on Coulson’s face as you walked down to Jemma.” 

Both Fitz and Jemma had tears in their eyes when he’d finished. 

Fitz turning back to the marker, “I promise, I’ll make you proud Sir.”


End file.
